Excavating-bucket.



J. W. PORTER.

EXOAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1913.

. 1 084 662 Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

a MWITNES'FZSI I INVENTU R as; 0%, J0$Pfllt4f0fi7f l TTORNEY UNiTnI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. PORTER, 0F MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

EXCAVATING-BUCKET.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

Application filed February 1, 1913. Serial No. 745,575.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marysville, in the county of Yuba and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Buckets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to excavating buckets and more particularly to the class of buckets which are mounted upon links and commonly known as link buckets.

The link bucket in use at the present time comprises essentially a cast steel bottom, a pressed steel hood, and a cast manganese steel digging lip all of which are riveted together to form a complete and unitary digging link bucket. Dredges of this type are usually equipped with from fifty to one hundred of these link buckets forming an endless chain and driven by a tumbler or sprocket.- The wearing parts of the buckets require repairs at intervals and in order to do this it is necessary to disconnect the entire chain and insert a new bucket in place of the one which has become worn or otherwise impaired. Obviously, the part usually to be replaced is that portion of the bucket which is in direct contact with the material to be elevated or displaced, usually rocks and sand, and this is styled a digging lip. The process of repairs is practically the same as constructing a new bucket and is accomlished by riveting which necessarily must be done in a well equipped shop, in fact, a shop equipped for this specific purpose. This method of construction in both new and repaired buckets is rather expensive, resulting in the loss of considerable time and money.

The object of my invention is to overcome the hereinbefore noted inherent disadvantages by providing a structure in which the digging lip and hood are removably arranged with respect to the link in such manner that the said component parts may be expeditiously assembled and disassembled.

To the accomplishment of the recited objects and others coordinate therewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides in that construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of the improved link bucket. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the link with the bucket removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the link, the bucket being indicated by dotted lines, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bucket in detail.

Generally speaking, my invention consists of a link, having its major portion converging from the front to the rear extremity thereof and provided with an inclined top which constitutes the bottom of the bucket when the device has been completely organized. Rising vertically along the opposite longitudinal edges of this top portion and converging from the front to the rear of the link structure is a pair of flanges, each of which is equipped with a female groove, the grooves being disposed in parallelism with the top of said flanges and at a slight angle relative to the top of the link whereby an extremely advantageous disposition of the bucket is secured. In combination with the before noted structure I employ a cast steel digging lip and hood, the lower marginal edges of which are provided with lateral flanges which may lcstyled the male portion of the dovetail joint and manifestly engage the said grooves or female portions of the vertical flanges of the link. The extremities of the flanges and the corresponding extremities of the combined lip and hood have openings which are designed to register with each other so that bolts may be passed therethrough and tightened tosecurely hold the parts against relative displacement, and in addition the end wall of the link and the confronting rear wall of the hood are arranged so that they will fit to a nicety and also tend to lock or otherwise preclude any movement of the parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings for a detail description of my invention,

the numeral 1 designates a link, the major portion of which converges from the front end to a point adjacent the rear extremity or just in advance of the rear pivot or connection 2 so that in configuration the said portion of the link may be likened to a truncated cone. Connecting the opposite sides of the link and preferably formed integral therewith is a top portion 3, and disposed vertically and at right angles to the top 3 along the longitudinal edges thereof is a pair of flanges 4, which likewise converge from the front to the rear extremity of the link, and atthe latter point merge into a vertical ridge 0r upstanding portion 5. Each flange 4 has upon its inner side a groove 6 running from end to end and arranged in parallelism with the top edge of the flange a and at a slight angle with respect to the bottom 3 of the link, and at the forward end of each groove there is provided an opening, as 7, while the rear ridge carries a pairof flanges 7. A slight recess is formed on the inner side of the ridge 5, as at 8, the purpose of which will be presently explained.

Cooperating with the hereinbefore described link is a combined hood and lip, the hood being designated by 9 and the lip by 10, and both of these parts being formed integrally. The lower edges of the hood are provided with laterally extending projections 11 which converge from the front to the rear ends thereof in a manner similar to the convergence of the major portion of the link, and these projections are adapted to engage the grooves 6 of the vertical flanges 4L. Openings 12 are formed in each forward end of the projections 11, as well as in the rear portion or heel of the hood, as 12, and are designed to register respectively with the openings 7 of the flanges 4, and openings 7 of the ridge 5, so that bolts may be placed through the parts for securing the same together. The rear end of the hood is rabbeted, as at 13, and the ledge 14 thereby formed is intended to occupy a position in the recess 8 of the ridge 5, while the shoulder 15 will rest firmly upon the upper edge of said ledge, thereby insuring a perfectly rigid organization.

When the digging lip or hood becomes worn to such an extent as to' interfere with the proper working of the dredge, bolts 16 are removed, whereupon the combined hood and digging lip may be easily withdrawn and a new hood and lip substituted therefor. Manifestly, this operation requires only a few moments of time, little expense and dispenses entirely with the disconnection or separation of the links. A further advantage resides in the fact that the rear exaoeaeea tremity of the hood 9 is disposed at a greater distance than the forward extremity of said hood from the top of the link, whereby the capacity of the hood is materially increased. A still further advantage is that the hood is disposed at an angle which will insurethe maximum penetration. These dual advantages and functions are due to the inclining of the groove 6 from the rear to the front of the top of the link.

What is claimed, is r- 1'. In a dredging bucket, the combination of a link having its top inclined from front to rear, a pair of flanges disposed upon the opposite marginal edges of said top, each of said flanges having a groove inclined from front to rear, a substantially rotund hood being open at the bottom and one end and having its lower marginal"'edges provided with projections for engagement with said grooves, the inclination of the top being greater than the inclination of the grooves to provide increased space bet-ween said top and the bottom of the hood at the rear of the link, and securing means for the link and hood.

2. In a dredging bucket, the combination of a link having a pair of flanges terminating in their rear ends in' a transverse wall, said wall having a pair ofspaced lugs, each of said flanges having a groove, a substantially rotund hood being open at the bottom and at one end and having its lower marginal edges provided with projections for engagement with said grooves, a portion of the rear of said hood being adapted to lie on top of said wall and between said lugs, and means for securing the lugs to the hood.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH W. PORTER.

Witnesses: I

S. J. FLANERY, C. C. Rnnvn. 

